Device for feeding balls into the ball chamber of a handgun

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for feeding projectile balls into the ball chamber of a handgun, especially into the ball chamber of a paintball gun, having a ball container with an outlet port, a feeder tube between the outlet port and the ball chamber, and an essentially cylindrical feeder with an axis for feeding the balls from the ball container to the feeder tube. The device comprises a flexible element that is disposed inside the ball container adjacent to the outlet port. A first end of the flexible element is fixed to the ball container and the flexible element is essentially rigid in the direction of the axis. Balls that are not in the correct position when approaching the outlet port are deflected back into the ball container, instead of hitting the edge of the outlet port. This way, jamming of the balls and explosion by excessive pressure are prevented.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10 / 965,384 filed on Oct. 14, 2004.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to a device for feeding projectile balls into the ball chamber of a handgun, especially to the ball chamber of a paintball gun. The device comprises a ball container with an outlet port, a feeder tube, that extends between the outlet port and the ball chamber, and an essentially cylindrical feeder with an axis for feeding the balls from the ball container to the feeder tube. [0003] A device of that kind is known from U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 965,384 filed on Oct. 14, 2004, whose disclosure is herewith incorporated by reference in the disclosure of the present application and whose characteristics are part of the disclosure of the present application. The feeder of the device exerts a feeding force to the ball. By means of this feeding force the balls are fed from the ball container through ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] According to one embodiment of the invention, a flexible element is disposed inside the ball container adjacent to the outlet port, a first end of the flexible element is fixed to the ball container and the flexible element is essentially rigid in the direction of the axis. A ball, which is not in the correct position when approaching the outlet port, contacts the flexible element before hitting the edge of the outlet port. The flexible element bends under the feeding force and deflects the ball back into the ball container. The flexible element is essentially rigid in the direction of the axis of the feeder to prevent the flexible element bending under the load of the balls in the container as in previously known devices. Bending under the load of the balls in the container impairs the ability to deflect the incorrectly positioned balls back into the container. The direction of the axis is a direction, which is perpendicular to the direction of the movement of the balls, when moving towards the outlet port.

[0006] A second end of the flexible element can in a preferred embodiment be slideably engaged to a protrusion in the wall of the ball container. The protrusion keeps the flexible element at a distance from the outlet port. This distance allows the flexible element to bend in a suitable manner.

[0007] The flexible element may be of sheet- or bladelike shape. This shape best suits the aim to guide the balls along the shape of the flexible element back into the container. The shape of the flexible element can be further improved, in that it is elongated between the first and the second end and in that the distance between the first and second ends exceeds the diameter of the outlet port.

Problems solved by technology

Bending under the load of the balls in the container impairs the ability to deflect the incorrectly positioned balls back into the container.

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